Page 55 - GTE Operations Manual

FIRST AID PAGES
THINK RED
Rest & Reassure
Expose
Dressing & Direct Pressure
HOW TO HELP
MANAGE EXTERNAL BLEEDING:
ɠ Put on gloves to ensure your personal safety.
ɠ If possible, lay the casualty down comfortably and rest the injured area.
ɠ Expose the wound to determine the extent of the problem. Carefully and gently cut away clothing if necessary.
ɠ Attempt to stop the bleeding by applying sustained and direct (or indirect) pressure. Cover the wound. Place a clean non-fluffy dressing pad or bandage over the wound and apply firm sustained direct pressure, or apply indirect pressure on or near the wound.
ɠ If there is a foreign object embedded in the wound, DO NOT remove it, use indirect pressure over bandages.
See Embedded objects in wounds, p34
ɠ DO NOT remove clots that have formed.
ɠ If blood comes through the first dressing, place another pad over the first without removing the original pad or apply a tighter dressing.
ɠ If bleeding continues check pressure is being applied directly on the wound.
ɠ Continue to control bleeding by direct or indirect pressure with compression bandage if necessary. The need to control bleeding is paramount.
ɠ Restrict movement and immobilise the part.
ɠ Monitor ABCs.
ɠ Totalrestandreassurethecasualty.
ɠ Treat for shock, use the DRSABCD Basic Life Support Flowchart.
See p4
ɠ DO NOT give anything to eat and drink.
CALL AMBULANCE 111 IMMEDIATELY IF:
ɠ Bleeding is severe.
ɠ Bleeding is not controlled.
ɠ Is not breathing normally or is
unresponsive.
TO HELP CONTROLL BLEEDING:
ɠ Restrict movement.
ɠ Immobilise the bleeding part.
ɠ Advise the person to remain at total rest.
ɠ Use a cold pack and pressure to a bruised limb which has no signs of external bleeding.
ɠ If life threatening, severe and uncontrolled bleeding, a tourniquet or haemostatic bandage may be used if the first aider is trained to do so.
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WOUNDS